The Moon of Much Gladness
Encyclopedia
The Moon of Much Gladness is a fantasy
novel by Ernest Bramah
, perhaps told by Kai Lung
, Bramah's fictional itinerant story-teller of ancient China
. It was first published in hardcover in London
by Cassell and Company, Ltd. in May 1932, and was reprinted in 1934. The first American
edition was issued under the title The Return of Kai Lung by Sheridan House in 1937.
The fictional narrator of this novel never refers to himself by name, and it is not clear that he is Kai Lung, despite the American title. The final sentence of the novel perhaps gives the best indication:
Elsewhere in the book, the narrator refers to writing his story, rather than telling it, and there is none of the interaction with listeners that marks the other Kai Lung stories. Regardless of the view one takes on this, the story is otherwise much in the style of the other tales, and takes place in a similarly fictionalized China.
Unlike the others, it is a true novel rather than a string of short stories. The queue
of the mandarin
T'sin Wong has mysteriously vanished while he slept. The maiden Hwa-che seeks to solve the mystery, using the methods she has learned from the crime novels of the Western barbarians. In this she is aided by Chin-tung, the mandarin's male secretary. Initially disguised as a man, she and Chin-tung become increasingly attached to each other as the story progresses.
The story humorously spoofs the conventions of the mystery novel, and contains allusions to well known fictional detectives. Readers will catch allusions to Sherlock Holmes
, Lord Peter Wimsey
, and Hercule Poirot
, among others. As with Bramah's other Chinese stories, much of the humor is also derived from a mock "Chinese" re-phrasing of common English expressions.
At this writing, The Moon of Much Gladness appears to be out of print, but used copies are available.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel by Ernest Bramah
Ernest Bramah
Ernest Bramah , born Ernest Brammah Smith, was an English author. He published 21 books and numerous short stories and features. His humorous works were ranked with Jerome K Jerome, and W.W. Jacobs, his detective stories with Conan Doyle, his politico-science fiction with H.G. Wells and his...
, perhaps told by Kai Lung
Kai Lung
Kai Lung is a fictional character in a series of books by Ernest Bramah, consisting of The Wallet of Kai Lung , Kai Lung's Golden Hours , Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat , The Moon of Much Gladness , Kai Lung Beneath the Mulberry Tree , Kai Lung: Six and Kai Lung Raises His...
, Bramah's fictional itinerant story-teller of ancient China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It was first published in hardcover in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by Cassell and Company, Ltd. in May 1932, and was reprinted in 1934. The first American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
edition was issued under the title The Return of Kai Lung by Sheridan House in 1937.
The fictional narrator of this novel never refers to himself by name, and it is not clear that he is Kai Lung, despite the American title. The final sentence of the novel perhaps gives the best indication:
Elsewhere in the book, the narrator refers to writing his story, rather than telling it, and there is none of the interaction with listeners that marks the other Kai Lung stories. Regardless of the view one takes on this, the story is otherwise much in the style of the other tales, and takes place in a similarly fictionalized China.
Unlike the others, it is a true novel rather than a string of short stories. The queue
Queue (hairstyle)
The queue or cue is a hairstyle in which the hair is worn long and gathered up into a ponytail. It was worn traditionally by certain Native American groups and the Manchu of Manchuria.-Manchu Queue:...
of the mandarin
Mandarin (bureaucrat)
A mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence.-History and use of the term:...
T'sin Wong has mysteriously vanished while he slept. The maiden Hwa-che seeks to solve the mystery, using the methods she has learned from the crime novels of the Western barbarians. In this she is aided by Chin-tung, the mandarin's male secretary. Initially disguised as a man, she and Chin-tung become increasingly attached to each other as the story progresses.
The story humorously spoofs the conventions of the mystery novel, and contains allusions to well known fictional detectives. Readers will catch allusions to Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
, Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey is a bon vivant amateur sleuth in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, in which he solves mysteries; usually, but not always, murders...
, and Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era.Poirot has been portrayed on...
, among others. As with Bramah's other Chinese stories, much of the humor is also derived from a mock "Chinese" re-phrasing of common English expressions.
At this writing, The Moon of Much Gladness appears to be out of print, but used copies are available.